The Ultimate
by Skylar Felton
Summary: The arrival of two mysterious newcomers throws the Scooby Gang into disarray - especially as the new girls hold special authority over vampires...and the Slayer. [COMPLETE]
1. The Strangers

_A/N: (The following error is noted: The gang are still in high school, yet Spike has his chip)_

Chapter 1

"What's your bet that the staff of this place are host bodies for some alien species?" Buffy Summers asked her best friend, Willow.

"Oh, yeah. Especially principal Snyder."

The girls were sitting under the shade of a large oak tree, in the front of their school, Sunnydale High, waiting for the first bell.

"Here comes one of them now," Buffy commented. "At least, something not considered by our species as normal."

The victim of her teasing comment approached them with a bright smile – an unusual occurrence for their friend this early on a Monday morning. Of course, even he would appreciate that put-down, as it alluded to the slight possibility of a weekend's social life. But Xander knew as well as anyone that his humble place lay with encouraging and uplifting his fellow friends in the Scooby Gang. With jokes at the most inappropriately placed times.

'Scooby Gang' was the name Buffy came up with for herself and her group of friends. Willow and Xander had been best friends since they were little, even through the traumatising event of Xander breaking Willow's Barbie. For a while Oz had been with the group, but he left to ease his worries of harming Willow, his girlfriend at the time, during his time of month that carried a little more risk than your average PMS, when for three nights a month, he transformed into a werewolf. Considered a more absurd match was Xander and Cordelia. Cordy considered the world to be beneath her – woes betide you if you caused her to break a nail. Years back, Willow and Xander had formed a We-Hate-Cordelia club. Before Xander pulled a Judas. The trusty-though-extremely-boring Rupert Giles, Sunnydale High's librarian, headed the gang.

The morning bell sounded around the students milling around and Buffy stood, straightening her skirt.

"Who are they?" Xander exclaimed with curious fascination. The girls followed his gaze to two girls they hadn't seen before, heading into the building.

"Whoever they are, if you get a crush on either of them," Buffy said pointedly, "she'll turn out to be a mantis, and ancient mummy, a dead Chinese fighting ghost, or something equally freak-worthy."

Xander frowned at Buffy's intent on bringing up his past record of girlfriends with every glance he made in any girl's direction.

"What? You don't think I'm attractive enough to get the attention of a normal girl? One who doesn't want to suck anybody's soul?"

"You can't be unattractive to everyone. Maybe you're a freak-worthy magnet." Willow reassured him. He gave her an unappreciative look. "A good one though," she said by way of explanation. "That could be a good thing. And, I'm just going to be quiet now."

Buffy interjected, "I'd better be off to class now before the authoritative host body catches me. See you at lunch." She started off.

"Buffy," called Willow. "Maybe we could talk to the new girls. Y'know, just to say hi. I mean, new kids at Sunnydale High is almost never a good thing."

Buffy shrugged. "Sure, whatever." The second bell rang, marking her as late to class, and Buffy hurried off.

Xander strolled across a lawn to join Buffy at an outside table, at lunch-hour. As he sat, and opened his bag to retrieve his lunch, Willow joined them. 

"Anyone got anything more interesting than glue?" Xander asked.

He was greeted with confused expressions. "Glue?"

"Oh," he said. "It's just an alternative phrase for boysenberry yoghurt. A special dialect of XanderHarris-ese."

"Oh," said Buffy.

"Hey, there's those girls again. Better do your meet-'n'-greet thing."

"It looks like we won't have to." Buffy concluded. "They're coming over here."

On their way over, they were intercepted.

"What a surprise," Xander commented. "Cordelia-Fashion-Queen-of-Sunnydale makes it her business to know each an every newcomer – until they prove themselves not worth of her esteemed goodwill."

Buffy turned to Xander and questioningly raised an eyebrow. Xander quickly bit into a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, so he wouldn't have to answer. His relationship with Cordelia was somewhat complicated.

They couldn't hear what the newcomers were saying, but body language is universally understood. Cordelia huffily stormed away from the two girls, probably after they refused to give any credit to the conversation topic of painting their nails.

The two girls didn't make a move to come over to Buffy, so she called out.

"Hey." She accompanied the call with a wave.

The girls smiled and wandered over.

They were even prettier up close, as Xander was happy to notice. They both had long hair and shapely figures, but that was where the similarities ended.

One had fair skin, bright blue eyes, silky white-blond hair, and had a general look of purity about her. The other was what black is to white. She had black hair, was deeply tanned, dark eyes, and looked, well, not pure. _Mysterious maybe, _thought Xander. _But they're both worth finding out more about._

"You just started here?" Buffy asked. "If so, I see it as my duty to warn you about Cordy over there, and cafeteria food." She gestured to Cordelia, who was still trying to regain her composure.

The blond girl smiled. "Thanks for the warning. We'll keep it in mind." Her eye fell on a patch of empty bench next to Buffy, across from the others. "May we sit with you for now, or would you rather us not?"

Buffy was pleasantly surprised to find that they thought of asking first instead of just making themselves at home like a typical American teen. She couldn't resist a glance at Xander, who was devoting all his energies in trying not to lasso them to the seat.

"Sure," she said, and moved her bag from beside her. The two girls sat.

The blonde extended her hand. "I'm Desupra," she said. Buffy's surprise at the unusual name prevented her from replying right away. "You were expecting 'Barbie'?"

"Uh, no, sorry," Buffy recovered. "It's just an unusual name. These are my friends Xander, and Willow," she said motioning to each in turn. "And do you talk?" She asked of the dark girl.

The dark girl leaned slowly forward, letting her hypnotic dark eyes rest of each of them. Her hair fell forward and shrouded her face in shadow. She slowly opened her mouth to speak and they all fell silent, tense.

"Boo."

Xander jumped, and the dark girl leaned back again, and smiled. "I love it when they do that," she said. She extended her hand to each of them in turn. "I'm Däkkah," she said. "I know you're not likely to confuse me with 'Barbie'."

"Where do you get your names from?" Buffy asked. "Are they foreign?"

Desupra and Däkkah exchanged glances. "Our parents liked them," Desupra said. "They were very imaginative."

"Obviously. Where have you guys come from? I haven't seen you around Sunnydale before." Buffy swirled her milkshake with the straw.

Däkkah glanced at Desupra, in a silent cue for her to speak. Däkkah obviously didn't do much small talk. Desupra obliged.

"Yeah, we just moved here. It's an interesting change of scenery."

"Where did you move from?" _Gosh, getting information of out them is like squeezing blood out of a stone, _Buffy thought. _Although, perhaps Willow could do it – get blood out a stone, I mean._

"Out of state." Desupra said, and then surprised Buffy by adding, "Actually, out of country. Originally we're from New Zealand, but we've been around, since then." She tucked a lock of white-blond hair behind her ear. "It's not interesting enough to tell stories about," she added before Buffy could inquire further. Her gaze, though kind, warned Buffy not to persue the subject.

Buffy started to gather her things. "The bell will be going soon," she explained. "I'd better not be late, or Principal Snyder will have me in detention so long my grand-children will grow up there. I don't know how I could ever get that man off my back." She rummaged through her backpack, checking that the equipment for her next class was there. She didn't have time for a trip to her locker now.

"Slay him."

Buffy started – looking up, her rummaging freezing, as though time had been stopped. Willow sat with her mouth open, and Xander just continuously switched his gaze from Buffy and the newcomers, as if he were watching a tennis match.

Däkkah's eyes looked up at them, though her head remained sinisterly low. An incomprehensive look crossed her face. "Hey, I was _kidding_."

Buffy took a moment to register. "Oh," she finally said.

The bell sounded, and Buffy stood, to leave.


	2. The Power

Chapter 2

"That was just too creepy. I mean, she actually sounded like, she knew, you know, what that meant." Willow looked at Buffy, as they walked together to Slayer headquarters – otherwise known as the Sunnydale High Library. It was never in much use, which was just how Giles liked it. It gave him more time to peruse through his extensive collection of books hosting the supernatural, and making the obligatory cup of tea, that is essential to the survival of the stereotypical British librarian. Well, British anybody.

"She did know what it meant. I'm sure. At least, I think I'm sure. I don't know." Buffy pushed through the library doors, confusion still plastered on her face.

Giles emerged from his office at the sound of their entrance, and seeing Buffy in a state of near panic, inquired what was the matter.

"You heard about two new girls coming here?"

Her Watcher looked over some cluttered paperwork as he thought. "Ah, yes. I hear they're very interesting girls." He began to gather the haphazard arrangement into piles as he waited for his newly made cup of tea to cool.

"Interesting? That's one way of putting it. There's something…not right about them, Giles!"

"Buffy, now," Giles began, perched on a bench and taking his glasses off – Giles Think Mode. "What exactly gives you such an impression?"

Buffy relayed the events of the afternoon. "They are way spooky."

"Way spooky, yes. But good to look at," Xander announced as he strode into the library, hearing the tail end of Buffy's recount. A look from Buffy stilled him. She rose an eyebrow, effectively communicating one word: _Cordelia. "But then," he added, submitting to the irony, "most things bad are."_

"They could have been innocent." Giles concluded. "You were probably just, uh, tense or something of the kind. Pressure with schoolwork?"

"Giles!" Buffy exclaimed. "You're always telling me 'You're the Slayer – trust your instincts.' Now you're saying I'm just tense?"

"Very well," Giles responded. "We'll keep an eye on them. Just to see if there's any unusual behaviour." He raised his tea to his mouth and turned away, signalling the end of that conversation. Buffy let out a breath in frustration. 

There was something weird about them. Something she was determined to find out.

Buffy hurriedly slammed her locker shut. She didn't have much time to get to her next class. No, hang on, she was already late. The bell rang a few minutes ago. Clutching her books to her chest, she started off briskly down the hall.

"Ah, Miss Summers."

She stopped in her tracks.

_No, no please…_

She turned, fixing an innocent smile on her face as she looked to the patronising face of Principal Snyder. Here he was, just in time to get his daily high, in getting Buffy in as much trouble as he could muster.

"Principal Snyder, I was just-" He cut her off mid-sentence.

"You were just taking the pleasure of breaking the rules of this school involving tardiness, Miss Summers. Well, since you are so keen to be out of the classroom, perhaps you want to run errands for faculty members over the next hour."

"But I have to be at my-"

"You can start by taking out the trash in the gymnasium block. The closest Dumpster is by the bleachers. I, of course, needed to tell you that, as I'm sure you're not in the habit of using the trash cans yourself."

"Mr Snyd-"

"Any more attempts at overriding my authority, will send you straight to detention. Good day, Miss Summers."

With a satisfied, sadistic smile on his face, he confidently strode past Buffy, perhaps to torment the next student who was unfortunate enough to cross his path.

Buffy resignedly stepped back to her locker to deposit her books, before heading over to the school gymnasium.

Cheerleading practice was on, and their chants grew louder as Buffy came closer. Which is normal, according to the laws of physics.

She gathered the garbage bag from inside the trashcan, and heaved it out. She crossed the room to a door, where the Dumpster was waiting outside.

She effortlessly pushed the lid of the Dumpster up, with the strength bestowed upon her as the Slayer. If Snyder knew of her capabilities, his satisfaction of what he was putting her through would be dampened. Buffy slung the bag into the monstrous, smelly thing, and closed it.

Buffy heard a wolf-whistle, making her head jerk upward to see where it was coming from. Not because it was a wolf-whistle, but just because that was what she did. Play it safe. There's a noise – check it.

Through the bleachers, she saw one of the guys from the football team wave. But not to her. Within seconds, she saw the target of his attention meander around the other side of the set of bleachers.

Däkkah.

The guy jogged up to her. Now Buffy could see it was Hank. A typical name for a big butch guy who has been known for violent tendencies. There was a rumour that he'd been arrested twice.

"Hey, babe," he said, "had a tour of the grounds yet? I know for a fact the boiler room holds great interest at times. Just say the word and I'll show you, personally."

Däkkah hadn't been facing him during his suggestion, but now, she slowly turned. A faint smile pulled at the corner of her mouth, but it didn't look like a smile that was happy with the arrangement. She was more amused than anything else.

"That's an interesting offer, but, no."

Hank lost his friendly attitude. "What's your problem? Think you're too good for anyone not a god?!" He laid sarcasm on thick.

Däkkah's smile grew even more. "You have no idea how true that is."

Seemingly out of nowhere, he pulled a knife. Buffy pulled back further behind the Dumpster, making sure she wouldn't be seen while she watched the exchange.

"You'd better trim the ego, little girl, before I help you with the job, with a bit of steel!" Hank threatened.

Däkkah raised her eyebrows in mock terror. That was too much for Hank – Däkkah had violated the Guy's-Pride-Code. He lashed out, burying the blade into Däkkah's shoulder, and pulling down to her elbow.

Hank was stunned over what he'd just done. More so, where he'd just done it. Anyone could walk by. He dropped the knife. For the first few moments, Däkkah looked at him in disbelief. Then her face drew into a scowl.

"That's not nice," she said.

As Buffy watched, Däkkah's arm healed. Like someone was playing _Crime Watch backwards. She placed her hand on Hank's chest._

"I don't like you," she said.

She took her hand away.

Hank dusted.

Giles stood quietly, looking thoughtful, as Buffy hurriedly relayed what she'd seen, with Willow and Xander looking on.

"Yes, it seems we may have be mistaken in our assumptions of innocence." He slid his glasses off.

"_Our assumptions?" Quoted Buffy, incredulously. "__Your assumptions! She was never in the good with me."_

"Yes, well," continued Giles, in his irritatingly rational way, "research is definitely required here. I haven't yet heard of any creature with the capability of transforming another into one of the undead."

He put his glasses back on. "Willow, see what you can uncover," he said, gesturing to a nearby monstrosity that was a computer, "I'll see what I can find in my collection."

As Giles turned back to his office, Buffy contemplated the possibilities. "What if that's not all she can do? Däkkah. It looks like she can turn people into vampires! What if she can do way more bad stuff?"

"Uh, it seems to me you're forgetting one thing," Xander put in, not making the mood any less somber, for a change.

All heads turned to him to hear what could make it worse.

"The girls? There's two."


	3. The Revelation

Chapter 3

Disjointed chords echoed throughout the Bronze from the new band that was trialing there. Of all the things of the hellmouth Buffy had to deal with, reincarnated dying cats wasn't in the job description. She, Willow and Xander had gathered together at the Bronze to release a little bad-vibes-ahoy tension. Any hope of relaxation ceased with the arrival of Spike.

"Why the low looks?" Spike started, strolling up to their table. "No vampire arse for you to kick, not giving you a happy?"

Xander looked at him with disdain. "One look in the mirror will show you exactly a worthy cause for depression." Then realising the error of his statement, he corrected himself. "Oh, right. Vampire. Mirrors. Nothing. Got it."

"Spike, what do you want now? If it was just to ruin our evening, you can leave now, knowing that was fully accomplished." Buffy bitingly said to Spike, wishing the mechanically tamed vamp would just go away.

"What's wrong, the Tooth Fairy turn out to be a little more Tooth than Fairy, destroying all your lovely childhood fantasies?" Spike prodded.

"_Spike." Buffy threatened._

"Fine, have it your own way," Spike responded, draining his cup and throwing it away, "can't take a little innocent chat, well it's not my problem."

Gathering his dignity, he walked away, his signature black trenchcoat in sharp contrast with his bleached white hair, which several years ago, bore him some resemblance to Billy Idol. Round about the time he killed his second slayer, before he had his taming chip put in his head.

"Have you found anything about the new girls, Will?" Xander asked.

"I didn't have time this afternoon, with all my trig homework, so I thought I'd do some evil-hunting during my free period tomorrow, just before lunch." Willow swirled her straw around her glass of iced water. "Maybe Giles has something already."

Buffy nodded. "We better get onto things quick, before the un-undead become an endangered species."

"Un-undead?" Queried Xander. "Well, we would have a quiet world during the day."

A lull in their conversation made it easier to hear those around them.

"Where did Sandra go?" someone said behind them.

"Outside. She's with some guy," came the reply.

"Some guy? She ditched us for 'some guy'? He better be Hollywood incarnate."

"Well, I didn't get a good look at him, but from what I saw, he had a really bad skin condition, and really, really bad teeth."

It was all the hints Buffy needed. She bolted from her chair, heading outside. As she neared the door, she heard the scream. Bursting through the doors, she looked up and down the street. There was no one there. She ran around the corner of the Bronze, into an alley. The vampire was hunched over a girl, whom Buffy assumed was Sandra.

"Hey!" she yelled, and charged him.

The vampire stood, and threw Buffy against the wall after she crunched his nose. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, and Buffy saw it was too late for Sandra.

"It's all coming," the vampire said, lustfully.

Buffy slammed him back, and whipping a stake from her jacket and holding it to his chest, she questioned him.

"What's coming? You figured out what the mistakes were in your last plan, and want to try again to open the hellmouth? This is where you're meant to get all scary and hail the end of the world, remember?"

"She's coming. We can grow in number as she gives us strength." The vampire looked strangely confident.

"Oh, yeah?" Buffy retorted. "What strength? Strength to die with dignity? Well, as long as you die."

The vampire smiled. "No. Strength to do this."

He threw her from him with surprising vigour. She looked at him in shock as she struggled to get up. As he came toward her, she aimed a high kick at his face. In a startling reaction, he grasped her ankle, and heaved her to the ground. She stood, breathing heavily, unsure how to beat this opponent with such unusual strength.

Then she felt it. Like something was flowing through her, something that wasn't supposed to be there. She flew at the vampire, kicking at his face and kidneys, with extra strength. The vampire was stunned at her retaliation. His gaze rested over her shoulder, and registered understanding. Without a second look, he ran the other way.

Confused, Buffy turned to see what had caught his attention, and saw a flash of light hair.

"Hey, man with the answers!" Buffy barked out as she strode into the library, scoobies in tow.

Giles emerged from his office with a curious look on his face – and yet another cup of tea.

"What is it that has you in a flurry this morning?" he inquired.

"What have we found out about those two…things?! The other one, Desupra, is _of the bad. Well, the unusual. Which is usually bad. She just seemed to be on my side this time."_

"Well," Giles concluded. "We weren't able to find much. I have looked in all my volumes with outlines of all demons known, and was unable to uncover anything."

"How does that constitute 'much'?" Buffy retorted. "I'd say we haven't found out _anything."_

"Well, not exactly." Giles responded. "An absence of explanation in my volumes would imply one of three things. They're either older than the written word, so they were around before man was able to record the happenings, or they're new, so they haven't already been discovered…" 

He paused to raise his cup to his mouth and take a sip of tea.

"Or…" prompted Buffy.

"Or they're not demons."

Spike sat in his crypt, staring mundanely into the distance as he took a gulp of wine – one of the finer pleasures of taking out a guy who kept a bottlestore. One of the very few pleasures left to choose from, with the Slayer deeming The Bronze her private Spike-free lair.

Spike raised the bottle to his cold lips again, and was startled as the door to the crypt came crashing open – he almost choked on the beverage in his mouth. He rapidly stood with the speed of the vampire he was – speed not hindered by the taming mechanical chip in his head, a fact of much shame to the bleached-haired vamp, and exploited extensively by the Slayer.

"And you are…?" Spike asked of the person who had just burst in. "Aside from very rude. That I can see already."

His visitor smiled. "So you're the one they call Spike," she concluded with a wry smile.

"Yeah, and what difference does it make to you? And answer my first question."

"I'm Däkkah." She dumped the backpack she'd been carrying and looked at him darkly from under her long lashes.

"Däkkah? As in, friend of Mickey-Mousah?"

When Däkkah didn't respond, Spike added, "What do you want?"

"You have a reputation you know – not like any vampire. I just wanted to see who I had in my area, and I heard you were an interesting addition."

Spike didn't like this conversation, which was heading dangerously close to damaging his manly pride by mention of the chip, and his inability to fulfil the purpose of a vampire.

"Well, nice to have met you, and since you obviously don't intend on giving me any more information about who the hell you are, I hope you enjoy your bloody tiki-tour, and now get out," he said, pointing to the door.

Däkkah rose, and headed to the exit. A pondering expression crossed her face, and she turned to him.

"Come with me."

Spike was incredulous. "Look, I don't know what you've heard about us creatures of the darkness, but we're called that for a _reason_. We don't get on well with the nice shiny sun beaming down in a nice shiny fatal way!"

Däkkah's friendly look left, and was replaced with determination. She stepped away from the door, and marched right up to Spike.

"Now _you look, I didn't come here to find out if you knew how to hold your own. I came here because I _already knew that_." What looked like a crackle of lightening crossed her eyes, displaying her anger at his patronising attitude. Spike stepped backward, startled._

Däkkah relaxed a little then smiled to herself. "Alright." She strolled to a chair and sat down, motioning Spike to do the same – an action that was resented by Spike as is was _his_ home, but until he knew what this eye-flashing-thing was, he didn't want to make it angry.

"I have an idea," Däkkah continued. "And you're going to go with it. I'm going to tell you what you want to know about me…" She leaned forward. "…And then you're going to come with me."


	4. The Defeat

Chapter 4

"Are you wanting to spoil _everything_?" Desupra asked heatedly. "How could you do that? That is a misuse of the power of our status. Why did you do it?!"

"He was annoying me." Däkkah answered.

Desupra gazed incredulously at her companion. Däkkah stood.

"Look, I'm _sorry," she amended, "I won't do it again. But everybody hates Hank. Aside from traumatised football lovers. The temptation was just too much." She registered Desupra's frustration. "But," she added, before Desupra could open her mouth, "I won't do it again."_

Giles assumed the stance he always took before he was about to say something important. Buffy waited, knowing from experience that you couldn't hurry this guy in some things.

"I've managed to uncover something on our two adversaries. Actually, many intriguing things."

Buffy raised her eyebrows – the closest to a push she could use with Giles.

"For one thing, I've discovered them to be gods," he started. "They are polar opposites, but one is a necessity to the other's survival."

"Kinda like, a decent upstanding person being devalued by a snobby student, intent on making life miserable for the first, but a necessity for the first to get through school," Xander interjected. Buffy looked at him unbelievingly, and Willow was trying not to look at him at all. She avoided the whole Xander/Cordelia issue when she could.

"I was just illustrating polar opposites," Xander humbly amended.

"Yes, anyway," continues Giles, "they are interdependent, if I can use 'Yin & Yang' to illustrate the concept. As in the eastern symbol, they are intertwined with each other, and can't be parted."

"But the Yin & Yang has a dot of the opposite colour in them," Willow added, so are they like each other?" Willow asked.

"That demonstrates the unity. One is white, the other black, and they are connected. The swapping of colours could symbolise their behaviour motives as having a common denominator." Giles responded.

"This is all interesting and all," Buffy said, "but could we get onto the actual facts? I never understand your explanations."

"Oh, yes, well," Giles continued, "it closely concerns you, Buffy. Besides the whole aspect of you having direct involvement in their dispatch."

"Concerns me? How?" Buffy inquired.

"Desupra is the god of Slayers, and Däkkah the god of Vampires, it would appear."

Buffy was at a loss for words. She eventually managed to assert, "I never heard of any god of Slayers – what's that all about?"

Giles polished his glasses. "One would think she is a more recent creation. Her title doesn't assume her to be in authority over the Slayer, but to have power involving them. This is a territory you have never been in, Buffy. She is able to manipulate your capabilities, of which you've already had first-hand experience."

"Whoa," Willow said. "You mean Buffy could be in serious danger with this thing?"

"Well, Buffy is rarely _not in serious danger, but these gods to pose more threat than those of recent days. But her loyalties remain with the Slayer. She gifts power to her – a talent Buffy already felt." He turned to Buffy. "She is, however, equally capable of taking your abilities from you, and investing them in someone else. A factor that could be potentially fatal, should it occur in a combat situation."_

"And Däkkah?"

"She is able to bestow daylight immunity to vampires as she pleases, and to bestow extra strength, as protection. Against you. And as you saw, she can turn anyone into a vampire at her touch if she wills it."

Xander and Willow stared dumbfounded. "But then, we could already have lost!" Willow said. "I mean, she walks around school every day so we're all in danger, and she could go around Sunnydale at night and build an army!" Her gaze darted from Giles to Buffy in panic.

"That is potentially true," assured Giles, "but is a misuse of her power. Repeated misuse of power may well cause hostility between the gods that is not beneficial to their own cause. I think it unlikely we should see it again.  A misuse of Desupra's power would be to waylay Slayer abilities – give them to another. Her loyalty should always be to helping the Slayer in combat – against Däkkah's plans."

"This De-Soup chick sounds of the good to me," Xander asserted.

"Her interference is still a open road for a potential mishap." Giles reminded him. "And we can't rid one without the other anyway. Yes, they are both definitely are a hazard while they remain."

"So how do we vanquish them?" Buffy cut to the chase.

"Uh, well," Giles admitted, "I haven't discovered that yet."

"Oh."

"This is nice," Spike commented. "Do you think I'll tan?"

Spike stood with Däkkah outside his crypt. After the initial amazement, Spike was settling into the unfamiliar environment of daylight remarkably well.

"Not while you're wearing all that," replied Däkkah, motioning to his signature black get-up.

"What do you suggest I take off?" Spike smirked suggestively.

"Oh, I'm sorry- can't hear- going into a tunnel- you're cutting out!" Däkkah responded. She started to stride between headstones, heading out of the cemetery. Spike followed her at a quickened pace to catch up.

"This sunlight thing, how long does it last?" Spike stopped just short of tripping over a headstone peeking through the lengthening grass.

"It lasts as long as I do."

"Which is…? One thing about all this bloody sun – you get hot quick enough."

Däkkah smiled to herself, as if to a private joke. "Don't worry about how long I last. I won't be vanquished any time soon." She rummaged in her backpack, and pulled out a bottle. "Here, a drink will cool you down."

Spike took it, and let the cool, refreshing liquid run down his throat. When he finished, he looked at the bottle and his eyes almost bugged out.

"This is _holy water!" he loudly exclaimed._

Däkkah shrugged. "It was all I had."

"Bloody hell." Spike shook his head. "Look, where are we going anyway?"

"Off to get ourselves a brand new fan club."

Buffy, on patrol, crept among the headstones of the cemetery – such a popular hangout for vampires was disgustingly stereotypical. But at least she could almost always be promised a fair concentration of them.

She saw a hint of movement in some neighbouring trees. Creeping closer, her awareness was heightened – all her Slayer senses on the alert.

With a deep guttural growl, a vampire sprung from the shadows, heading for her at breakneck speed. His shaggy brown hair flying wildly. She crouched and rolled, propelling the vampire over herself using its momentum.

Another came at her, this one a leggy blond – though in dire need of a make-over – and she aimed a high kick to the jaw, snapping its head back. The vampires quickly recovered and came at her again with astonishing vigour. With each blow, they came back with renewed strength. Buffy soon felt her defences wearing down. _This isn't supposed to happen. With each attempt at bringing up her stake, her arm was deflected._

The first vamp feinted to her left, and caught her on the right. She flew crashing to the ground, stunned at their resilience.

She rolled to her feet, and saw the answer to the mystery. Well, part of it. Watching with sadistic smiles on their faces, were Spike and Däkkah. 

The blow she dealt to one of her adversaries glanced off, leaving only a scratch. Panic welled in her, and she wondered if this would be her end. Maybe this was her turn to go.

Then, a bolt of energy rippled through her muscles, like electricity recharging a battery.

With renewed vigour, she lashed out at the vampire nearest to her. His nose cracked and he growled savagely. The blow propelled him against a tall headstone and the monument shattered like clay.

"You!" Spike exclaimed in astonishment at her carelessness, "You have no respect for the dead!"

"Can you blame me?" the Slayer responded and she dealt another blow.

She was intrigued to see the source of Däkkah's new expression of aggression and irritation. The vampire under attack howled as Buffy aimed a kick to the kidneys, and retreated long enough for Buffy to spin around to see what had given Däkkah a bad case of early morning mood. Or in her case, maybe early night? Without knowing what she was, it was near impossible to deduct these things.

She was greeted with the sight of Däkkah's counterpart, Desupra, smiling with disdain at her – was it sister?  – as they engaged in this; their own private competition. Buffy was beginning to feel remarkably like a pawn.

The vamp with shaggy hair charged her, and with a quick spin, she brought her arm up, burying the stake into him. With a look of shock, he exploded into dust. The blond looked at the Slayer, confused. As she turned to see Desupra, her face registered understanding. She turned to flee, only to be staked before she could move a foot.

"You know they can't withstand the Slayer, and you still sent them off to battle?" Desupra asked of her opposition, as she walked closer to them.

"The would have be able to withstand _fine_ if you hadn't showed up!" Däkkah retorted.

"Uh, guys?" Buffy interjected. "I'm here."

The twins – or something like that – didn't even show that they heard.

"Your concern is _not the Slayer!" A look of fury crossed Desupra's face suddenly. "Hence, 'God of _Vampires'_! No 'Slayer' in that!" Her voice lowered dangerously. "You leave to me what is mine, and do you own evil thing. Your unorthodox behaviour with get you cut down. Now leave." She glanced at Spike, who'd just been watching the ordeal like a tennis match, then back at her twin. "And take your lapdog with you."_

That provoked a 'Hey!' from Spike.

With a parting look, promising no orthodox behaviour, Däkkah left. Taking her 'lapdog' with her.


	5. The Findings

Chapter 5

Däkkah flopped down into one of the dilapidated chairs in Spike's crypt, and cradled her head in her hands. Her eyes gave no illusion of despair however – only glowing rebellious determination. Mixed with a bit of pissed-off-ism. No one likes getting yelled at, and it appeared gods were no exception.

Spike regarded her from across the crypt.

"You know, a foul attitude is kind of expected from her. What with being associated with the Slayer and all." He lit a cigarette. "That would make anyone be a bloody devil."

A smile pulled at Däkkah's lips. "She can't expect to win. There's only one Slayer." Satisfaction rested her face. "Vampires, now they are many. With one charge, I guess she's just an elevated parent!"

"And Buffy wouldn't be a easy kid. She's bloody full of herself."

Däkkah laughed, gazing at Spike. She caught herself, and looked away.

Spike let out a breath of smoke. "So, where are you staying anyway? When you're not here?"

"Just around. Wherever." She studied her fingernails. "Actually, I don't really stay anywhere." She appeared to be gathering up the nerve to say something, but she eventually shrugged. "No ties. That's me."

Silence hung in the air before Däkkah leaned forward, elbows on her knees. "Y'know what? I'm gonna stay here."

Spike glanced up in surprise.

"Don't give me any 'I want my privacy' crap," Däkkah continued. "Staying local would work for me, and if you don't like it you can always move out. Anyway, it wouldn't be for too long."

She waited for Spike to retaliate, but he was still staring in surprise, his cigarette loosely hanging in his mouth. When he finally recovered, it wasn't to throw a tantrum.

"As it, live here?" Spike clarified.

"Temporarily. For as long as it takes."

"Don't gods get some holy sanctuary? Minions?"

"I work better on my own." Däkkah stood. "Minions just crowd you. I learned that from watching other gods."

She still waited for any negative response from the renowned vamp. None came. But then, she supposed it wasn't every vampire that had a god living with him. That was probably why he didn't mind.

She started for the exit. "I'm going out for a bit. Get more of you big human mosquitoes on my side." 

She glanced back at him to see if he'd heard her, and was shocked. She was afraid to admit it might have also been a pleasant shock. Something that was _not supposed to happen. He had been looking at her retreating figure. In a very…_appreciative_ way._

"Please tell me you've found something out on these things, Giles." Buffy begged.

"Have they affected your patrol then, I take it? I would have thought that with Desupra around, the matter wouldn't have been quite so pressing."

"Oh, Much Pressing, Giles! They have a little catfight going. It's all their fight, and I'm a chesspiece!"

"Oh, I see. Yes, so it would seem then." He put down his mug of tea.

Xander and Willow waited to hear if he had any answers.

"Well, my research still continues. I have managed to find out only the origin of their names."

"Oh, really great." Buffy said sarcastically. "Like the date 'Fred' was invented helps!"

Giles looked down at her disapprovingly. "It actually outlines their character more clearly. 'Däkkah' is a modified version of 'dâka', a Greek term. It means to crumble, bruise, crush, destroy, smite, and uh, other such things. I would appear then that her purpose of existence isn't just to lead vampires, but to aid them in overpowering the world."

"Oh, here we go," sighed Buffy.

" 'Dâka' is pronounced 'daw-kaw' in the Greek, the inflection on the second syllable. It's an ancient language-"

"Was I supposed to get my sleeping bag?" Xander interrupted. "Because this is dangerously boring. Get on to the good stuff already. If there is any."

Giles cleared his throat. American youth were very unlike those of his British upbringing, a fact that he was still learning to live with. Or trying to.

"Yes, well. The pronunciation that she uses, 'Duk-a', alludes to 'Dark'. This showing her loyalties."

"We figured the whole loyalty thing out already." Buffy interjected. "What about the other one?"

"Yes, Desupra. That's not of Greek origin, but English."

"Huh?" Xander grunted. "How does 'Desupra' sound like any word known to man?"

"Yes, well, being a foreign species to you, I suppose the intricacies of man would be confusing for you." Giles retaliated. "But to go further back, the word, like many English words, is of Latin origin."

Xander was stunned.

"Whoa, did the G-man just make a joke?" he asked, incredulously. "Though, at my expense is not good."

Giles wisely chose to ignore him, for the sake of preventing a full-on wit-war.

"Desupra," he continued, "is from the prefix 'supra-', meaning 'above' or 'beyond'. 'Greater than'. The Latin example of a complete word of that prefix, would be 'supranational'."

Buffy wrinkled her brow in confusion. "'Above America'?"

"Oh," Willow concluded. "It sounds like 'Supernatural'. Right, Giles?"

"Yes, correct."

"So," Xander said, "that doesn't tell us any more than what we already knew – she's a god. So?"

Giles took of his glasses and rubbed the lenses with a cloth. "Because it doesn't give meanings like Däkkah's, I'm suspecting it portrays her motives as more of a defence. Däkkah provokes the attack, Desupra merely fends it off."

"But what about this 'greater than' thing?" Buffy asked.

"When she is with you, you will always conquer the vampires. She has geographical success on her side."

"Geographical success?" Xander commented. "No global warming?"

"She'll win any fights that she's at – she has to be there," explained Willow.

"That's a big happy factor," Xander said. "What's the Dark-chick got? If Supra-girl is so powerful, why can't she just take everything on? If the two almighties fought, Superchick would win, right?"

"Her superiority there is not guaranteed," Giles explained. "They are both gods. And Desupra works with the Slayer," Giles explained. "It is her purpose. There is but one Slayer in the entire world, but thousands of vampires. Millions. Desupra has strength; Däkkah has numbers."

"And there's strength in numbers." Concluded Buffy.


	6. The Confrontation

Chapter 6

Däkkah gazed up and down the street to see if anyone was spectating the childish scene. Spike was arguing with a couple of vampires, and they were now gesticulating wildly. Däkkah's amused smile disappeared as one of the opposing vampires drew back his arm, and hit Spike in the nose.

A feeling unrecognized by Däkkah, accompanied by rage, filled her as she rushed up to Spike's opponent. With a look of loathing, she placed a hand on him. He exploded into dust.

"Ever looked into the profession of body-guarding?" Spike quipped. "You'd be in hot demand."

Däkkah didn't respond. She blankly gazed ahead, deep in thought. She suddenly turned and ran, not looking back. Spike, accustomed now to the fact that his cryptmate was "weirder than a friendly slayer", continued on to find an animal on which to feed.

The door to the crypt slammed shut as Däkkah strode into the main room. An air of panic was about her; the realization that something was happening and she didn't know what it was, and didn't appear to have control over. She felt a sense pushing at her mind, feeling as if it were trying to rise to the surface, from a lifetime of being suppressed.

She tried to figure things out. She first she was intrigued with Spike's mannerisms, then she found him attractive, then she raged whenever someone turned against him... the penny dropped, and she knew the other feeling she'd felt before when she'd dusted the attacker: Concern. Or was it worry? Fear that Spike would be hurt?

She felt it trying to push to the surface - the thing that was affecting her. The thing that had been trapped and suppressed when she had been viciously transformed into a god of the dark: her humanity.

Then she knew the word: _love._

Buffy faced Desupra with a look of determination. The three were in Giles' house. Buffy had brought her there to see him. Well, to actually let him tell her what Buffy wasn't to keen to say straight out, to a god. By herself anyway.

"It seems, Desupra," began Giles as he laid out tea and biscuits, "that your attempt at assistance is distracting Buffy, and causing her patrols to go somewhat awry."

Desupra remained silent, and her lack of response gave Buffy the courage to speak her mind. In the very Buffy-way that she was famous for. Apart from the slaying thing.

"What the nice man means to say is," she leaned forward, "you're screwing me up!"

Desupra looked at her, and opened her mouth to speak. "If you were happy to adapt to the extra power I give you, you'd find-"

"Hey, Supergirl. I had your power before. I don't like it. I'm not used to it. I've been trained to work with the abilities I have naturally, and you're screwing that up!"

Giles blinked at Buffy's directness to the god, obviously fueled by her frustration. And part worry.

"I believe," he said, wiping his glasses, "what we would find most beneficial at present, would be for you to withhold your supervision."

Desupra looked at him, startled.

"Was that a 'go-away-and-leave-me-alone' thing?" Buffy asked of her Watcher.

He put his glasses back on. "Uh, quite."

Desupra was shocked. The Slayer, not want her help? But, that defied the purpose of her existence! Something jumped within her.

Däkkah was almost winded with the realization. The demon-god with the name of Däkkah was being challenged by the humanity of the girl it had encompassed so long ago. But why now? The answer came quickly. Love had a power unto its own. Love being among the greatest weapons.

Däkkah's human part had been influenced beyond the point of suppression. Däkkah had been tainted. 

She was sure Desupra would find great amusement in that. Däkkah, love someone? Well, Däkkah hadn't loved, but her imprisoned spirit had. Desupra could win, with me tainted, she thought. She would win the war between Vampire and Slayer.

After a few seconds, her face registered realization. _Unless_, she concluded, _I beat her myself, first._

She spun to leave, and almost crashed into an incoming Spike. The resulting soar within her when she saw him infuriated her all the more, and she stormed out, a curious Spike at her heels - asking questions and getting no answers.

As she walked, Däkkah wondered where was a possible place to find her opposing god. She smiled wryly. She would start at the Watcher's.

The thing continued to push, within Desupra. Her humanity was panicked. Confused. The demon-god Desupra panicked with her. With the Slayer accepting no aid, Desupra would be beaten. Däkkah would rally an army of vampires, or, or...something worse! Däkkah would always think of something.

Desupra looked to the Slayer for any sign of reconsideration. There was none. Desupra was going to be beaten! _No_, she thought. _I'll fight her now. I'll have to._

The door to Giles' house blew open, and Däkkah angrily strode through. Spike attempted to follow, but was thrown back by the barrier not permitting him to enter.

The tension in the room was thick. And warm - you could even feel it. The anger and determination of a god is the most terrifying thing you'll ever see. And, if it's a god of destruction, smite, and oppression, you'll wish you never do.

Desupra stood to meet her. Their eyes flashed, and a flare of fear grew within Buffy. Giles was worried too - the fate of his house may be of the bad.

They both knew what conclusion the other had arrived to.

"This time tomorrow, at the shrine of the dead," concluded Däkkah, "we fight."

At the door, Spike was wide-eyed.

The bell for lunch rang and Buffy felt rising nervousness as she put books from the last period in her locker.

She, Willow and Xander had been instructed to meet in the library at lunchtime, to see if Giles was fortunate enough to unearth any more useful information on this pair that was about to wreak havoc on the world. Buffy hoped desperately for an answer. Maybe if you poured water on them they would dissolve. Or something like that.

She rushed through the library doors, and for about the millionth time in her high-school life, she was glad that Sunnydale High Library wasn't a popular resource.

Xander and Willow must have been filled in on the happenings of the night before, already - they looked just as worried as the Slayer.

Giles on the other hand, looked rather satisfied with himself. Though not entirely happy with whatever it was he found.

Upon the arrival of Buffy, he was urgently prompted to relay his findings.

"When I researched under the original Greek names, I found a trove of information that proved most useful." He looked at each teen in turn. "They originated when two demon-gods with opposing loyalties took the bodies of two teenage girls in order to bring their fight to a physical level."

"But you said that Däkkah and Desupra couldn't fight each other," Willow said.

"That is correct," Giles confirmed. "They cannot fight physically - it is suspected this is because of a special bond between their human hosts. Perhaps they were sisters, or best friends, or something of the sort. The gods' essences changed their appearance, explaining why Däkkah has such a dark complexion, and vice versa, until characteristics of the original girls were no longer detectable. This left only their souls, trapped in the gods."

"So," Buffy tried to piece it together. "These gods are part good?"

"Not exactly." Amended Giles. "The spirits of the girls were suppressed, to the point where they had no influence on the gods. But they are still able to feel the pain and guilt resulting in anything the gods do."

Buffy fell silent, as this concept of terrible guilt held a special significance, as it afflicted someone she'd held dear.  

"Are they able to be freed?" Willow asked with gentle concern.

Giles polished his already spotless glasses. "I'm afraid not. They have been captive of the gods too long. Even if were able to separate them, the girls would be physcologically damaged, or at the very best, too overwhelmed with guilt to want to live." He adopted a look of regret. "They'll have to go too. But they'll be glad to. Any act they've done, granting daylight immunity etc, will be undone, upon their disappearance."

It was quiet for a while. "How do we vanquish them?" Buffy asked, with new resolve.

"I have found the answer to that very question in an ancient language, that I'm glad to report that I'm able to read, resulting from my self-tuition."

Xander threw his hands in the air. "Why isn't it this good all the time? When we wanna kill someone, just look in the how-to book."

Giles cleared his throat, and translated, "The god of Slayers and the god of Vampires co-exist founded on the constant conflict and animosity between Slayers and Vampires. If at any time, a Slayer and a Vampire show the ultimate symbol of coalition and co-operation - by voluntarily mixing blood - the gods are henceforth vanquished."

"Oka-a-ay, I knew there'd be a catch," concluded Xander. "Couldn't have been that easy. Buffy - blood-brother to a vampire?"

"Sister." Willow amended.

"Huh?"

"Sister. Buffy would be a blood-sister."

"Wait!" Buffy said. "But I voluntarily mix blood with them all the time. I mean, I voluntarily fight, and it's a given there's gonna be blood in that. It could easily be mixed."

Giles frowned slightly. "If it were that easy, the gods would already be gone. It is often difficult to translate one hundred percent accurately. In this ancient language, the context of the words 'coalition and co-operation' means a mental state also. You, uh, must mix blood with one of a mutual feeling of... not necessarily peace, but more of a putting aside of differences to achieve a common goal."

"In other words" said Xander, pushing the point, "blood-siblings."


	7. The Finish

Chapter 7

Giles had concluded that 'the shrine of the dead' was the cemetery. The Scoobies waited there. Waited for the fight that the whole world would feel should it finish uninterrupted. After almost an hour, Buffy was almost beside herself with worry.

"We've got the wrong place!" she exclaimed.

Giles attempted to calm her. "Gods aren't always known to stick to schedule. They arrive in their own time."

To reinforce his argument, a figure came slowly near. As it approached, they could see it was Desupra. Still blond and beautiful - but a little less friendly.

It wasn't long before she was joined by her competitive counterpart, Spike in tow. Sadists always like to see a bloodbath - of gods or otherwise. But Buffy had the feeling from Spike's careful attitude that he had a degree of personal involvement in this fight. To him, this time, it mattered who lost.

But Spike was going to have more to do in this fight than he realized. Buffy crept through the trees lining the outside of the cemetery. She pulled Spike in, muffling his attempt at a yell, and dragged him back to the Scoobies.

Initially, it looked like it was going to be a decent job just to get him to co-operate long enough to listen, but he eventually settled down - after he saw the first step in the fight.

The gods had transformed. With vicious growls in their throats, they had grown. Big.

"Dragons," Willow squeaked.

Even in this monstrous form, they still maintained the difference in appearance. By the light of the moon, they could see that Desupra had glistening pearl scales, with golden eyes. Angry, golden eyes. Däkkah was terrifying in her difference - black, with blood-red eyes.

As the remedy to the nightmare was explained to Spike, a look of disgust crossed his face.

"You've got to be out of your bloody mind!" he yelled at them.

Willow looked at the fight to see if the gods had been deterred, by Spike's exclamation. If they'd noticed, they'd ignored it. They had drawn blood already - shiny red liquid seeping through valleys between pearly scales. Däkkah's blood was green. Willow grimaced, and looked back at Spike.

"Blood-brother to a Slayer? Bloody hell, I'd rather be staked!" he continued his raving.

Buffy glared at him. "You gonna be a whole lot worse than staked if this fight goes on! They can't destroy each other – they're essential to each other's survival!"

"And what's gonna happen to me, if I don't help you out?"

A roar sounded from one of the dragons. The fight continued.

Xander spoke up. "Däkkah has numbers in her army. Because there's only one Slayer, Desupra has the oh-so-handy gift of winning every fight she fights in. Your crypt-keeper's doomed - then where are you gonna get your happies?"

Buffy grimaced, and Giles blinked at the crudeness of the notion. Even Xander was put off by what he'd just said. Plus, the notion that was just a guess.

Lucky guess - Spike blinked, and rolled the rescue-plan over in his head.

In sight of all, Desupra reared, and brought a massive claw slashing down across Däkkah's throat, spilling dark green blood across the ground.

Spike hurriedly turned back to Buffy. "Alright. But hurry, before I pass out from disgust."

Xander didn't look too energized with the plan either. Problem - nothing to cut with. Buffy began to pull a branch from a tree near them, but Spike pulled out a piece of steel from a trenchcoat pocket and slashed his arm with it. A steel cross.

"Found it on the road," he said, in answer to their incredulous looks. "Pretty, isn't it?"

"My word," Giles said. "What else are you impervious to? Uh, immune to." He corrected himself to a more understandable term.

Spike smiled coldly. "Everything."

Däkkah screamed, a chilling sound - a dragon's scream.

"Bloody hell, get on with it!" Spike shouted to Buffy.

She slashed her palm, and taking a deep breath, closing her eyes as if this was the most hideous hell-spawn she'd ever seen, grasped Spike's wound, mixing the blood. Spike winced at Buffy's tight grip.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then a cry of fury erupted from the gods. They lashed around, struggling against invisible bonds. A great wind whipped the trees, and the Scoobies had to raise their arms over their eyes to protect them. The wind only lasted a few minutes. It became calm with the speed at which it had started. They lowered their arms.

Däkkah and Desupra still stood, but they didn't look at all in the mood for war. They looked confused, and even frightened. Before the Scoobies' eyes, the gods changed - their form reverting back to their original appearance. Desupra, or her prisoner, looked afraid, not knowing what to do with new freedom. Her face changed to relief and happiness when she saw her friend; a blue-haired teen still stunned by the transformation. The grasped each other and wept.

"This is so touching," commented Xander.

The girls grew translucent. The girl with blue hair turned to look at Spike with a sad smile. It grew harder and harder to see them, until they finally disappeared.

It was quiet. The silence was interrupted by a sharp, "Ow!" Spike had tried to pick up his cross. But now Däkkah was gone - he was back to your everyday vamp. With a non-everyday chip.

Spike saw that he'd been tricked - Däkkah was gone anyway. He started towards Buffy, but then thought better of it. He shot a withering look at her, and turned, striding away.

The Scoobies gazed across the cemetery, remembering what had just been there, and it looked as if it never had. It was an unusual thing – Buffy having to fight without all the Jackie Chan moves. This time.

"Y'know", began Xander. "There's a new girl at school."


End file.
